DOI Kapitel:
Changing Worlds – The Spread of the Neolithic Way of Life in the North
DOI Kapitel:Müller, Johannes: A long lasting transformation: northern Late Mesolithic/Early Neolithic multi-dimensional developments (c. 4,750 – 3,800 BCE)
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.66745#0360
Stone Age Borderland Experience (MAN 60, 2022, 359 - 375)
359
A long lasting transformation: northern Late
Mesolithic/Early Neolithic multi-dimensional
developments (c. 4,750-3,800 BCE)
Johannes Muller
Abstract During the last decades, a large amount of new data on the Late Mesolithic and the Early Neolithic in northern
Germany has been collected. Both detailed dating procedures and taphonomic processes at different sites have been dis-
cussed. With the help of vertical stratigraphy and absolute chronological dating, it is possible to newly describe the pottery
sequence of the Middle and Younger Ertebolle and the Early Funnel Beaker (TRB) ceramic societies from c. 4,750-3,800 BCE.
It becomes clear that the development of the ceramics reflects societies for which the simple differentiation between Meso-
lithic and Neolithic terminology does not go far enough.
The information from the south Cimbrian Peninsula suggests a mosaic-like habitus, which integrated ‘foraging’, ‘pastoral’ and
‘horticultural’ practices differently. A long-lasting transformation process becomes visible, which begins during the 43rd cen-
tury BCE with the introduction of first flat-bottomed funnel beaker ceramics and first domestic animals. Accelerated by a
period of climatic stress, the new way of life asserted itself in the 41st century BCE with horticultural subsistence practices and
a new ceramic style, among other things. Flowever, for at least three centuries, the Ertebolle ceramic style and the aquatic
subsistence remained intact at sites near water, while in other places non-megalithic long mounds were already being built
as an expression of the new ideology.
Keywords Ertebolle pottery, Funnel Beaker societies, transformation processes, ceramic typology and chronology
Zusammenfassung Wahrend der letzten Jahrzehnte warden neue Daten zam Spatmesolithikam and Frahneolithikam in
Norddeatschland gesammelt. Sowohl detaillierte Datierangsverfahren als each taphonomische Prozesse an verschiedenen
Fandstellen warden diskatiert. Mit Hilfe vertikalstratigraphischer Befande and absolatchronologischer Datierangen 1st es mdg-
lich, die Keramikabfolge der mittleren and jiiiingeren Erteb0lle- and der frahen Trichterbecherkeramik-Gesellschaften (TRB)
von ca. 4750-3800 v. Chr. nea za beschreiben. Es wird deatlich, dass die Entwicklang der Keramik Gesellschaften widerspie-
gelt, far die die Unterscheidang zwischen mesolithischer and neolithischer Terminologie nicht weit genag greift.
Die Informationen von dersadkimbrischen Flalbinsel deafen aafeinen mosaikartigen Fla bit as bin, der die Praktiken „WiId bea-
ter", „Viehhaltang“and„Bodenbaa“anterschiedlich integrierte. Es wirdein lang anhaltender Transformationsprozesssichtbar,
der ab dem 43. Jahrhandert v Chr mit der Einfahrang der ersten Trichterbecherkeramik mit flachen Boden and den ersten
Flaastieren beginnt. Beschleanigt darch eine klimatische Stressperiode, setzte sich die neae Lebensweise Im 41. Jahrhandert
v. Chr. a. a. mit einfachem Boden ba a and dem neaen Keramikstil darch. Mindestens drei Jahrhanderte lang blieben jedoch der
Keramikstil von Erteb0lle and die aqaatische Sabsistenz an wassernahen Standorten intakt, wahrend an anderen Orten bereits
nicht-megalithische Langhagel als Aasdrack der neaen Ideologic errichtet warden.
Introduction
Besides the terminological use of the terms ‘Final
Mesolithic’ or ‘Early Neolithic’, which partially con-
ceal the similarities in the archaeological and palaeo-
ecological archives between the mentioned periods,
there have been various attempts thus far to better
determine the corresponding period between about
4,750-3,800 BCE. In most cases, we know of numer-
ous individual studies, in which typo-chronological
discussions about the spatial and chronological distri-
bution of key types have been conducted, which usu-
ally can be traced back to the typological discourses
before the possibility of scientific dating. This often
results in spatial-temporal groupings, which mostly
originate from the identification of these key types.
359
A long lasting transformation: northern Late
Mesolithic/Early Neolithic multi-dimensional
developments (c. 4,750-3,800 BCE)
Johannes Muller
Abstract During the last decades, a large amount of new data on the Late Mesolithic and the Early Neolithic in northern
Germany has been collected. Both detailed dating procedures and taphonomic processes at different sites have been dis-
cussed. With the help of vertical stratigraphy and absolute chronological dating, it is possible to newly describe the pottery
sequence of the Middle and Younger Ertebolle and the Early Funnel Beaker (TRB) ceramic societies from c. 4,750-3,800 BCE.
It becomes clear that the development of the ceramics reflects societies for which the simple differentiation between Meso-
lithic and Neolithic terminology does not go far enough.
The information from the south Cimbrian Peninsula suggests a mosaic-like habitus, which integrated ‘foraging’, ‘pastoral’ and
‘horticultural’ practices differently. A long-lasting transformation process becomes visible, which begins during the 43rd cen-
tury BCE with the introduction of first flat-bottomed funnel beaker ceramics and first domestic animals. Accelerated by a
period of climatic stress, the new way of life asserted itself in the 41st century BCE with horticultural subsistence practices and
a new ceramic style, among other things. Flowever, for at least three centuries, the Ertebolle ceramic style and the aquatic
subsistence remained intact at sites near water, while in other places non-megalithic long mounds were already being built
as an expression of the new ideology.
Keywords Ertebolle pottery, Funnel Beaker societies, transformation processes, ceramic typology and chronology
Zusammenfassung Wahrend der letzten Jahrzehnte warden neue Daten zam Spatmesolithikam and Frahneolithikam in
Norddeatschland gesammelt. Sowohl detaillierte Datierangsverfahren als each taphonomische Prozesse an verschiedenen
Fandstellen warden diskatiert. Mit Hilfe vertikalstratigraphischer Befande and absolatchronologischer Datierangen 1st es mdg-
lich, die Keramikabfolge der mittleren and jiiiingeren Erteb0lle- and der frahen Trichterbecherkeramik-Gesellschaften (TRB)
von ca. 4750-3800 v. Chr. nea za beschreiben. Es wird deatlich, dass die Entwicklang der Keramik Gesellschaften widerspie-
gelt, far die die Unterscheidang zwischen mesolithischer and neolithischer Terminologie nicht weit genag greift.
Die Informationen von dersadkimbrischen Flalbinsel deafen aafeinen mosaikartigen Fla bit as bin, der die Praktiken „WiId bea-
ter", „Viehhaltang“and„Bodenbaa“anterschiedlich integrierte. Es wirdein lang anhaltender Transformationsprozesssichtbar,
der ab dem 43. Jahrhandert v Chr mit der Einfahrang der ersten Trichterbecherkeramik mit flachen Boden and den ersten
Flaastieren beginnt. Beschleanigt darch eine klimatische Stressperiode, setzte sich die neae Lebensweise Im 41. Jahrhandert
v. Chr. a. a. mit einfachem Boden ba a and dem neaen Keramikstil darch. Mindestens drei Jahrhanderte lang blieben jedoch der
Keramikstil von Erteb0lle and die aqaatische Sabsistenz an wassernahen Standorten intakt, wahrend an anderen Orten bereits
nicht-megalithische Langhagel als Aasdrack der neaen Ideologic errichtet warden.
Introduction
Besides the terminological use of the terms ‘Final
Mesolithic’ or ‘Early Neolithic’, which partially con-
ceal the similarities in the archaeological and palaeo-
ecological archives between the mentioned periods,
there have been various attempts thus far to better
determine the corresponding period between about
4,750-3,800 BCE. In most cases, we know of numer-
ous individual studies, in which typo-chronological
discussions about the spatial and chronological distri-
bution of key types have been conducted, which usu-
ally can be traced back to the typological discourses
before the possibility of scientific dating. This often
results in spatial-temporal groupings, which mostly
originate from the identification of these key types.